Aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Bühler is committed to making a meaningful impact for its customers, employees, partners, and the environment. To realize this on a globalscale, it has aligned its sustainability strategy to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity in inclusive societies. They are a guide to help governments achieve the ambitious and transformational 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Leaving a healthier planet for future generations is a global undertaking. It requires the partnership of governments, the privatesector, civil society, and citizens alike.

Bühler impacts these 10 key SDGS

Developing solutions to sustainably feed 9 billion people by 2050 is Bühler's goal. We are creating industrial-scale solutions for the processing of insects and pulses as alternative protein sources and improving the efficiency of food production to reduce waste by 30%. Bühler Insect Technology Solutions, and partner, Protix, are building the world's largest industrial insect-processing plant, scheduled to be operational in the second half of 2018.

The health and well-being of our employees and the population at large is important to Bühler. We work with food manufacturers globally to help them make foods safe and more nutritious, for example, by reducing sugar and salt while still retaining taste. We offer our employees a safe, healthy, and balanced work environment, and a health-management program. Our mission is no accidents at Bühler and no accidents at customer sites.

Bühler established its Learning Center in 2012 to offer high-end training programs to customers and employees in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Southeast Asia. In its global application centers, experts run practical tests with customers to help them develop and improve products. Bühler has been training apprentices for more than 100 years, and its model is a benchmark for many countries and companies.

Diversity and inclusion are top priorities for Bühler, as innovation and leadership will be enhanced when the collective skills of employees of different gender, origin, nationality, ethnicity, age, knowledge, and skill levels are brought to bear. The company Code of Conduct serves as a guide for employees to live the company principles of trust, respect, recognition, involvement, and passion.

Motivated employees and dedicated management staff are key to Bühler's long-term growth and business performance. Adequate compensation; safe, rewarding work in an international environment; and employee development programs enable Bühler to attract and retain talent. Over 73% of apprentices remain with the company after completing their training. Each year, 600 apprentices are enrolled worldwide.

Bühler has started construction of its new innovation campus – the CUBIC – in Uzwil, Switzerland. It is designed to be a state-of-the-art workplace focused on collaborative innovation, where knowledge holders from across our industries and beyond can come together to address global challenges. The CUBIC brings together the worlds of engineering and business, as diverse approaches lead to success.

To reduce societal inequity through education, training, and collaboration, Bühler partners with various organizations. It established the African Milling School in Kenya in 2015 to train millers, and has joined Partners in Food Solutions to create a more sustainable food industry on the continent via volunteering. Bühler also strives to create a positive workplace where all employees have equal rights.

Responsible production means aligning our purchasing policies and production processes in compliance with international standards. To improve its environmental performance, Bühler also requires its suppliers to comply with our global quality, environmental, and safety standards. Its ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certificates were renewed and are valid through November 2020.

Bühler's goal is to reduce its environmental footprint, energy consumption and waste at its customers' sites, and in its own manufacturing and logistics by 30% by 2020. Bühler has set a goal to lower its material consumption, pollutants, and energy consumption per productive hour at 5% annually. By developing new digital solutions, the company will further help its customers improve quality and reduce waste.

Broadscale collaboration supports the creation of a sustainable business that delivers a significant impact on climate goals. Bühler has been expanding its collaborative innovation model, developing close partnerships with customers, suppliers, academic institutes, and start-ups over the last decade. We are committed to driving collaboration further. In the digital world, collaboration is a key basis for success.